In light of events in Pathankot, Firdaus Ahmed analyses Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech, given to the military brass last month at the Combined Commanders’ conference aboard the INS Vikramaditya, on the way forward with Pakistan.

The International Day of Peace, celebrated on September 21 every year, has little meaning for people living in conflict areas. Like the Manipuri women, who feel that decades-old violence in Manipur has not only increased but taken many different forms. Anjulika Thingnam speaks to some of the feisty women of Meira Paibi (women vigilante) groups of Manipur to find out more.

The calling off of talks between India and Pakistan is being attributed to the latter’s interactions with separatists, with an extended reference to incursions along the LoC. Firdaus Ahmed digs beyond the obvious to highlight the more likely cause behind the move.

For women living along the conflict-ridden borders of Kashmir, caught between cross fire and attempts to check infiltration, the threat of landmines is a constant reality, made worse now by environmental degradation. Chetna Verma’s tales expose their rising vulnerability.

As the spectre of communal violence raises its ugly head yet again in the build-up towards elections, India Together talks to
Ramachandra Guha
to explore the threats to the secular imagination in India and the hopes for religious pluralism in the democracy.

Forced, politicised moves to spread the message of peace and love through high profile cultural events may fall flat on the ground in Kashmir, but
the Valley is certainly witnessing newer, creative and artistic modes of resistance against issues of concern.
Freny Maneksha
reports.

The recent nod to Telangana has led to unrest and violence anew in Assam, where several groups have been struggling for their respective states
for decades.
Ratna Bharali Talukdar
looks at the current situation in the context of the long and checkered movements for statehood in the region.

Circumstances surrounding the death of alleged terrorist Khalid Mujahid in UP underline how sloppy investigations and a bias for emotion instead
of facts have dented the credibility of the fight against terror.
Puja Awasthi
fears that such half truths will only feed the evil of terrorism further.

The pervasive tendency to speculate and insinuate involvement of individuals and selective groups in instances of terror, without authentication or references to source of information, is not only an unfair attack on those implicated but against the very essence of journalism.
Ammu Joseph
elaborates.

For over two months, young Manipuris have boycotted schools and colleges in the state. Two killings in broad daylight in Imphal, including one allegedly custodial, have resulted in the deadlock. Thingnam Anjulika Samom has more.